The UST Golden Spikers bowed down to the FEU Tamaraws in four sets, 30-32, 29-27, 17-25, 20-25, to begin their 2024 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge campaign at the Paco Arena in Manila on Wednesday, July 31.
Key UST holdovers Gboy de Vega and Jayrack de la Noche paced the Golden Spikers in their first pre-season game by scoring 16 and 13 markers, respectively.
UST assistant coach Benjamin Mape said the Golden Spikers were still in an “adjustment period” as the team fielded rookies in the stead of two-time UAAP MVP Josh Ybañez, who had commitments with the national team.
The Golden Spikers also missed the services of head coach Odjie Mamon, also with the Philippine team.
“‘Yong first two sets, medyo maganda yung pinakita ng mga bata, ‘yong tinraining namin,” Mape told the Varsitarian. “Kaya lang, ‘yong succeeding two sets, do’n lumabas yung pagiging rookie team kasi ‘di pa nila kayang i-handle ‘yong situation na may pressure.”
“‘Pag nakumpleto na ‘yong tao namin, ‘yan, do’n natin makikita yan,” he added. “Maybe sa [middle] ng tournament makukumpleto na ‘yong tao namin.”
Back-to-back hits from Espartero denied the Golden Spikers’ chances to run away with the extended opening set, ultimately falling to FEU, 32-30.
The Golden Spikers recovered from their first-set fumble by stealing the second set with a backrow hit from De Vega and a tip from John Dedoroy, 29-27.
FEU opened the third set with an 8-3 blitz to gain momentum and bury the Golden Spikers down a 2-1 set disadvantage, 25-17.
A denial by FEU’s Mikko Espartero on De la Noche and a crosscourt hit by Season 86 Best Opposite Spiker Dryx Saavedra in the fourth set completed the Tamaraws’ toppling of UST, 25-20.
UST was marred by 42 errors in the four-set loss, compared to the Tamaraws’ 35 miscues.
Benny Martinez steered FEU to its first V-League win with four points, all built on aces, and 16 excellent sets, while Espartero chipped in 16 markers.
The Golden Spikers will next face the DLSU Green Spikers in a rematch of the 2023 V-League finals on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 5 p.m., in the same venue. Ernest Martin G. Tuazon and R.P.P. Salaya with reports from James Michael M. Magboo
